Holistically assessing dismounted warfighter military performance: bridging science and operational relevancy.

Abstract

Dismounted warfighter physical and cognitive performance is complex, involving interdependent domains such as mobility, lethality, survivability and sustainability. This article provides an overview of topics presented during the 'holistically assessing dismounted infantry performance: bridging science and operational relevancy' session of the sixth International Congress on Soldiers' Physical Performance, held in London, UK, 2023. These topics include the investigation of multivariate aspects of dismounted performance at both the individual warfighter and squad levels. Discussion includes a general approach to quantifying warfighter and squad-level dismounted performance, specific body-worn sensors used to investigate performance, including heart rate variability and movement mechanics, a specific investigation into the effect of hearing acuity on individual and group performance, and lastly moving towards predicting performance with body-worn sensors.